Savali Talavou Ale is an

American Samoa American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the International ...

n politician. He has served as the

Speaker of the American Samoa House of Representatives The Speaker of the American Samoa House of Representatives is the presiding officer of that legislature. Below is a list of office-holders from 1967: Sources *Sunia, Fofō I. F. (1998). ''The Story of the Legislature of American Samoa: In Com ...

since 2007. Ale, who was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1981, is also the longest serving current member of the American Samoa House of Representatives, as of 2015. He is originally from

Fagali'i Fagali'i or Fagali'i-uta is a village on the island of Upolu in the Samoa archipelago approximately 5 kilometres south-east of Apia. It is in the electoral constituency of Vaimauga East (''faipule district'') which forms part of the larger politica ...

, American Samoa, but now resides in the village of

'Ili'ili Iliili is a village in the southwest of Tutuila Island, American Samoa. It is located seven miles inland, southwest of Pago Pago, between the villages of Futiga and Vaitogi. It is in Tuālāuta County. Iliili is home to American Samoa's only golf ...

. Ale married his wife, Sakala Mautofu Ale, July 16, 1977, at a ceremony in

Carson, California Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, in the South Bay region of Los Angeles, located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately away from Los Angeles International Airport. Incorporated on February 20, 1968, ...

. The couple had eleven biological children, as well as several other children the family had adopted and raised. Both Savali Talavou Ale and Sakala Mautofu Ale were ordained deacons in the

Congregational Christian Church in American Samoa The Congregational Christian Church of American Samoa (CCCAS) or the "Ekalesia Faapotopotoga Kerisiano i Amerika Samoa" (EFKAS) is a theologically Calvinist and congregational denomination in American Samoa. It was established in 1980 with Galea'i ...

(CCCAS).

Biography

Personal life

Ale's wife, Sakala Mautofu Ale (Poloa), died from a sudden illness on Saturday, September 5, 2015, at the age of 59. The couple had been married for 38 years and had nine children. During his first term as

, the chiefly title "Savali" was bestowed upon him. He is a member of the

Congregational Church Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

Education and early career

After graduating from

Leone High School Leone High School is a senior high school in Vailoatai and Leone, in the Western District, American Samoa. It is operated by the American Samoa Department of Education. It is the second-largest high school on Tutuila Island. It was opened in ...

, he attended the Cannon's College of Commerce and later received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California Baptist College in 1977. He also took summer courses at both Oregon University (1978) and at the

University of Hawai'i A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

(1979). He later moved back to American Samoa where he became a school teacher at Leone High School. He later worked for the Tax Office and as the supervisor of the payroll division at Van Camp Seafood Company.

Political career

Savali was first elected to the American Samoa House of Representatives in the 1981 elections and won re-election from the 1980s and through the 2010s. The Speaker of the House appointed him Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, a position which allowed Savali to utilize his knowledge of commerce. Another of his committee assignments was to work on the review of the American Samoa Constitution.Sunia, Fofō I. F. (1998). ''The Story of the Legislature of American Samoa: In Commemoration of the Golden Jubilee 1948-1998''. Pago Pago, AS: Legislature of American Samoa. Page 273. . He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1981. Ale, who has never lost re-election, has been re-elected to the House during each successive general election from the 1980s and 2010s, making him the House's longest-serving member, as of 2015. On November 7, 2006, incumbent Speaker

Matagi Mailo Ray McMoore The are traditional winter hunters of the Tōhoku region of northern Japan, most famously today in the Ani area in Akita Prefecture, which is known for the Akita dogs. Afterwards, it spread to the Shirakami-Sanchi forest between Akita and Aom ...

lost re-election to the House of Representatives in the general election. Savali, who was Vice Speaker of the House from 2005 to 2007, was elected

in January 2007 after he received eleven more votes than his opponent, longtime Rep. Gaoteote Palie Tofau. Savali was challenged by Ituau Rep. Taotasi Archie Soliai for the Speakership in 2010, but Savali won re-election as Speaker. Rep. Taotasi Archie Soliai once again challenged Savali for the position of Speaker of the 33rd legislature (2013–2015) in January 2013. Ale defeated Soliai with a vote of 13-7. Rep. Soliai was later defeated for re-election on November 4, 2014, in the

general election A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...

. He was unanimously re-elected Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 34th Legislature on January 3, 2015.

References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Ale, Savali Talavou 1953 births American Samoan Congregationalists Living people Members of the American Samoa House of Representatives People from 'Ili'ili Speakers of the American Samoa House of Representatives American Samoa Republicans